Factsheet
Portion Control & Recommended Portion Sizes
To be a healthy weight, you need to watch the amount of food that you eat to make sure you aren't eating too much.
We may think bigger servings are better value for money, but they're actually costing our health a great deal more!
Bigger portions mean we consume more energy (kJ). This is an even bigger problem when we eat highly processed snack food, take away foods and sugary drinks.
Tips to eat healthy portion sizes:
- Use a smaller plate.
- Avoid going back for seconds and freeze leftovers straight away.
- Still hungry? Have a glass of water. If you're still hungry, try a healthy snack such as a piece of fruit.
- Eat at the table, not in front of the TV.
- Aim to fill half your plate with veg, one quarter with meat and alternatives (e.g. chicken, fish, legumes or tofu) and the last quarter with cereals and grains (e.g. rice, pasta, bread).
Packaged food, take-away food and restaurant meals have been getting bigger and bigger, and are now come in very large servings.
When eating out, try ordering an entree size or share a main meal with a friend.